Thursday, December 29, 2011

CMS Releases Magnet and Student Assignment Information

The CMS student placement office wants families to be aware of important information, events and deadlines coming early in the year:

• Student assignment notifications will be sent home with students beginning the first week of Jan. • Magnet lottery applications will be accepted online from Jan. 6 through Feb. 13 • The CMS Magnet Fair will take place Jan. 7

Student assignment notifications:CMS will send individual assignment notifications home with all current students beginning the first week of January. This mailing includes each student's identification and PIN numbers, as well as directions for online application to the magnet lottery. Students who are new to CMS and students assigned to Title I Choice schools will receive the information in the mail.

Only students who participate in the lottery or Title I Choice will receive lottery assignment notifications in February.

Only families who wish to apply for a magnet program need to participate in the online process. Families who are happy with their listed placement do not need to apply. Students must meet eligibility requirements, if any, before an application to a magnet program can be accepted. Click here for more information about magnet programs.

For the 2012-2013 school year, programs at Collinswood and Oaklawn language academies and Morehead STEM Academy will become K-8 magnet programs. As a result of the expansions, E.E. Waddell Language Academy will no longer provide a middle school Spanish program and Cochrane Collegiate Academy will no longer provide its math and science magnet programs.

CMS will offer nine magnet programs at 37 schools (17 full-magnet schools and 20 partial-magnet schools) for the 2012-2013 school year. Magnet themes include International Baccalaureate; Military and Global Leadership; Leadership and Global Studies; Montessori; Learning Immersion/Talent Development; Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM); Traditional; Visual and Performing Arts and World Languages. All CMS students are taught the North Carolina Standard Course of Study. Magnet programs address students' special abilities or talents.

CMS will provide free computer access at the Family Application Center (700 Marsh Rd.) and at all zone offices. Computers at these locations will be available from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Families can contact Student Placement with any questions. Representatives are available from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. The phone number is 980-343-5335. Spanish-speaking representatives are also available.

Jan. 7 Magnet FairCMS is also hosting a district-wide Magnet Fair on Saturday, Jan. 7, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology (1430 Alleghany Street). Representatives from all the magnet programs will be available, as well as staff from the English as a second language (ESL) department, career and technical education, study abroad programs, Parent University and student assignment. School health workers will also answer questions about required physical examinations and immunizations. Computers will be available, so families can complete the online student-assignment forms if they would like to participate in the lottery.

Important student-assignment dates:· All current and newly enrolled CMS students will receive individual assignment notifications beginning the first week of Jan. This will include instruction sheets, student identification and PIN numbers that families will use to apply for a magnet program. Families must register for magnet programs online. Those without computer access can visit any CMS zone office or the Family Application Center (700 Marsh Road).· The first magnet-lottery application period is from Jan. 6 – Feb. 13. Lottery assignment notifications letters will be sent to families in February. The letters give assignments through the lottery process and provide information on how to ask for reassignment. Students new to CMS in the 2012-2013 school year must have enrolled in the system by Dec. 2 to be eligible for the first magnet lottery. Students who enrolled after Dec. 2 will be eligible for the second magnet lottery, which runs from March 14 to June 4.· Families interested in learning more about CMS magnet options can visit the CMS Magnet Fair on Jan. 7 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Phillip O. Berry Academy of Technology (1430 Alleghany Street). Representatives from each magnet program will be available at the fair to share information and answer questions